Trump's Asia tour: Rodrigo Duterte sings for US commander-in-chief

US President Donald Trump smiles with other leaders, including Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as they cross their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" in the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines November 13, 2017.
Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

United States President Donald Trump arrived in the Philippines on Sunday to attend international summits. Trump met Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been under fire from human rights advocates for his campaign to combat illegal drugs.

"Just landed in the Philippines after a great day of meetings and events in Hanoi, Vietnam!" the US leader wrote on Twitter. Trump wore a Barong Tagalog, a formal Philippine attire that resembles a white long-sleeved shirt.

Duterte sang a Filipino song titled "Ikaw" (You) on Sunday at the gala dinner of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits. He said he did so upon the orders of Trump.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I sang uninvited a duet with Ms Pilita Corrales upon the orders of the commander-in-chief of the United States," Duterte said as he ended his number. Public Works Undersecretary Karen Jimeno tweeted a video of the Philippine president singing.

Trump participated in a gala that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Duterte, who is sometimes described as the “Trump of the East,” greeted him and other leaders as they arrived at a convention centre in the Philippines capital.

Trump and Duterte shook hands twice before the leaders posed for a group photo. The Philippines is Trump's last stop for his five-country tour of Asia. He has also been to Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is also in Manila for the summit meetings. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders from Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, India and member states of ASEAN are also in attendance.

Richard Javad Heydarian, author of “The Rise of Duterte,” said that Trump’s visit to the Philippines is a chance for the POTUS to show he can win back estranged allies, The Guardian reports. “He also sees in Duterte a fellow populist and decisive leader besieged by liberal internationalist elite, so there is some element of personal rapport and ideological solidarity,” he said, adding that he expects a convivial hobnob between the two leaders.

Foreign affairs secretary, Alan Peter Cayetano, earlier assured that Trump will definitely receive a warm welcome in Manila. Not all was well though, when left-wing protesters began marching on the roads with placards that read "Dump Trump" and "Down with US Imperialism.” Trump previously praised Duterte, saying he was doing an “unbelievable job on the drug problem.”